News Release
U.S. Department of Justice
Peter F. Neronha
United States Attorney
District of Rhode Island
December 23, 2010
DOMINICAN NATIONAL PLEADS GUILTY TO ILLEGAL RE-ENTRY
State Police detectives trained in Immigration Enforcement ID defendant
using face recognition software
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Dominican national, whose fingertips had been burned and altered beyond recognition in an attempt to conceal his true identity, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Providence to reentering the country illegally after having been deported in October 2004 for drug trafficking. Robert M. Cordero-Luciano, 26, entered his plea before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Mary M. Lisi.
Luciano’s guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha; Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Office of ICE; and Colonel Brendan P. Doherty, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police.
At Luciano’s change of plea hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Adi Goldstein told the court that in July 2008, Luciano attempted to obtain a Rhode Island driver’s license using a fraudulent Puerto Rican driver’s license and other false documents. Luciano was taken into custody, and while he admitted that the driver’s license and other documents were false, he insisted that the name on the documents was his true identity.
Once at the Rhode Island State Police barracks, it was determined that Luciano’s fingerprints had been burned or mutilated beyond recognition. The R.I. State Fusion Center assisted in the investigation, and through the use of facial recognition software determined Luciano’s true identity. A Rhode Island State Police Detective who assisted in the investigation is one of four State Police Detectives who have completed training and have been delegated Immigration enforcement authority under the ICE 287 (g) program.
Using face recognition software, it was determined that Luciano had previously obtained four Massachusetts driver’s licenses with the same photograph, using four different names, dates of births and Social Security numbers. When confronted with the findings by detectives, Luciano said, “You got me…good job…I didn’t think you would figure out who I was.”
Luciano, who has been detained since his arrest, is scheduled to be sentenced on March 9, 2011. He faces up to a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
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Contact: 401-709-5357
USARI.Media@usdoj.gov
